Traveling nurse Tonisha Kenty responded to a need in Concordia

Registered Nurses (RNs) are in high demand.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections for 2019-2029 estimates the RN workforce will grow from three million in 2019 to 3.3 million by 2029. The increase, about 7%, is not nearly enough to fill the need for qualified nurses.
To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed healthcare facilities to the breaking point, and dramatically underscored the shortage of qualified medical professionals, especially in rural areas.
Travel nurses are helping to fill the void, in both overburdened cities and rural communities.
A travel nurse is a skilled healthcare professional who takes assignments in hospitals or healthcare facilities that have short term staffing needs.
Tonisha Kenty is a traveling nurse, and she's right here in Concordia, Kansas.
Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Kenty took a circuitous route to nursing.
"I enlisted in the Air Force after 9/11," she said. "I wanted to serve. I'm the fourth generation vet in my family, and the first female."
Kenty was a munitions specialist, handling the storage and delivery of everything from small arms ammunition to missiles. She served tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait.
"I was taking classes while I was in the military," she said. "By then I knew I wanted to be a nurse."
Kenty served in the Air Force four years. She was discharged on a Friday, and started nursing school the following Monday. ''That was 14 years ago. I like being able to help people. I'm a firm believer in karma."
Kenty became a traveling nurse in 2018. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, she served three months in Arizona, three months in Florida, three months in California, and is now in Concordia.
"I like it here. This is a quaint little town, and I'm sure I would like it a lot more in warmer weather. I don't like the cold!"
To date, California was her most difficult assignment. "Aside from working directly with COVID patients, California was tough because that's when all the fires were happening. The air was red and filled with smoke all the time."
Kenty works through a recruiter for her travel assignments. "My recruiter really wanted me to come to Concordia and help the facility here (Mt. Joseph)."
Kenty already had experience running two COVID-19 crisis centers, and works twelve hour days, seven days a week, running the Mt. Joseph COVID-19 ward.
"After this assignment is over, I'm going to take some time off," she said. She is married with three grown children, and now lives in Florida with her husband of 18 years, who is a retired military veteran and former deputy sheriff.
All three of her daughters are CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistant).
What's unique about Kenty's stay in Concordia is her home: Lela Mea, a colorful travel trailer that she lives in at the RV park at Blosser Municipal Airport.
"I named it after my two grandmothers," she said.
The trailer is a bold collage of colors - heavy on the color pink - with a large portrait of Kenty on the back, underneath a green street sign that states: Kenty's Way.
"I had a muralist paint it for me," Kenty said with pride. "Lela Mea means a lot to me."
The trailer draws a lot of attention, which can sometimes be a bad thing. "A lot of people stand outside my trailer and take pictures, which is great. That makes me happy. It's an expression of art. But sometimes they also knock on my door when I'm trying to sleep."
So far Kenty is holding up well, all things considered. But she and Lela Mae came to rural Kansas in the heart of winter. "I've never been through a winter with Lela Mae. I typically don't travel during the cold months, but so far all is good."
As someone who has seen the ravages of COVID-19 up close and personal, in cities and medical facilities both large and small, Kenty wanted to impress upon people just how serious this pandemic is. "It's hard to believe what it's like in a major hospital or facility until you've seen it with your own eyes. This virus is real; it's deadly and extremely contagious. Everyone should follow the guidelines and wear a mask. Maybe you're not worried about yourself, but everyone should fear bringing this virus home to those who are vulnerable."
To underscore the severity of the battle healthcare professionals are fighting, Kenty described the challenges they face at Mt. Joseph. "We have five different strains of the virus at this facility. This thing mutates to survive. Even when the vaccine gets here, we've got a long road ahead to beat it."
Kenty wanted to thank all the people who have helped her and Lela Mae settle in. "I really enjoyed this airport RV park. They were nice to let me stay for a little while so I could make sure I got things set at work."